Adam Holender, ASC (born 13 November 1937) is a Polish-American cinematographer and film director.
Early life and education He was born 13 November 1937 in Kraków, Poland, the son of a judge. In 1940, he and his family were deported to a Siberian labor camp, and not allowed to return to Kraków until 1947.
Holender studied architecture before enrolling at Łódź Film School, from where he graduated in 1964.
Career Holender worked on short films by Krzysztof Zanussi and Roman Polański, and in the camera department of several Polish films and television series, notably Four Tank-Men and a Dog.
He moved to New York City in the 1960s, working as a truck driver and later finding a job as a grip at a commercial production company, later shooting documentaries for the BBC and CBS.
Midnight Cowboy was Holender's first feature film cinematography assignment: he was recommended to director John Schlesinger by Holender's friend Polanski. Holender later recalled:
Schlesinger turned out to be a great director to work with. (...) He likes the dirt of New York life, I took him on his first subway trip, we wandered around the streets and observed reality. I knew we were making a good film, but that it was going to be an Oscar-winning film, I had no idea.
According to Schlesinger, his inspiration to make the movie came from the 1967 Yugoslav film When I Am Dead and Gone by a Serbian director Živojin Pavlović.Surfing the Black – Yugoslav Black Wave Cinema and Its Transgressive Moments Author: Gal Kirn, Dubravka Sekulić and Žiga Testen Publisher: Jan van Eyck
Awards and honors At the 2007 Camerimage Festival in Toruń, Holender received a special award "to the Polish Cinematographer For Immense Contribution To The Art of Film".
Filmography
Film Year Title Director Notes1969Midnight CowboyJohn Schlesinger1971The Panic in Needle ParkJerry Schatzberg1972Moonwalk OneTheo KameckeJ. W. CoopCliff RobertsonAdditional photographyThe Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon MarigoldsPaul Newman1974Man on a SwingFrank Perry1978If I Ever See You AgainJoseph Brooks1979The Seduction of Joe TynanJerry SchatzbergPromises in the DarkJerome Hellman1980SimonMarshall BrickmanThe IdolmakerTaylor Hackford1985TwistedHimselfDirector1986The Boy Who Could FlyNick Castlewith Steven Poster1987Street SmartJerry Schatzberg1988To Kill a PriestAgnieszka Holland1989The Dream TeamHoward ZieffSea of LoveHarold BeckerAdditional photography1994FreshBoaz Yakin1995SmokeWayne WangBlue in the Face1996I'm Not RappaportHerb GardnerGrace of My HeartAllison Anders2nd unit photography19978 Heads in a Duffel BagTom Schulman 1998A Price Above RubiesBoaz YakinWide AwakeM. Night Shyamalan2002Roads to RichesMichelle GallagherRollerballJohn McTiernanAdditional photography2004StatesideReverge Anselmo2005Carlito's Way: Rise to PowerMichael Bregman2007Shortcut to HappinessAlec BaldwinFilmed in 20012019Apollo 11Todd Douglas MillerDocumentary; filmed in 1969
Television Year Title Notes1966Four Tank-Men and a Dog5 episodes1978The Other Side of HellTV movie1980The Shadow BoxTV movie1984ThreesomeTV movie1985The Best TimesEpisode: "Making Out"2000Mary and RhodaTV movieFalcone
References
External links
Official website